Documentary Analysis

The Meth Epidemic

The Meth epidemic is an Investigation/real life/crime documentary. The documentary shows you about a drug which is common on the streets of America called "Meth". Its shows you why people take the drug, How the police catch or how they punish you for using the drugs and the negative effects of using the drug.

Themes

The main themes in this documentary are drugs, government, police, crime and especially how drugs can effect family's in a major way.

Narrative Structure

The beginning of the documentary is about the rise and fall of meth usage showing you this with use of charts and graphs. The middle section of the documentary focuses on the users of the drug and shows the effects and the end of the documentary shows what the goverment are doing to try and stop the epidemic so this be a linear structure.

Camerawork

When interviewing the users of the drug they were mainly shot using handheld to show that they were unstable and make the audience feel uneasy. Establishing shots using homes of some addicted to give the audience a sense of what they are going through and show there vulnerability.

Mise en scene

There is alot of abstract footage used when the narrator is describing a situation to give the audience something to look at. There was also reanactments when the interviewees where describing there families and children.

Sounds

Non diegetic narration is used throughout the documentary to help explain the situations and give further detail when needed. There is also tense non diegetic music to add intensity and make the audience feel uneasy.

Editing

Talking head shots are used in this documentary whilst interviewing. There is also simple cuts and also shot reverse shots were used to make the audience feel like they were involved in the conversations.

Archive Material

Photos of users of the drug to show what they were like at the being of there addiction and what they are like now. This was used to show the severity of the using the drug. Graphs and charts to show the rises and the falls of the usage of the drug and also I told showing the peak of the drug use. Also footage from raids and CCTV footage of the raids were shown.

Graphics

The graphics for the title was a pale blue font and a black background to make the title stand out to the audience. Interviewees name were white with and red border with the channel making the documentary next to it to try and make the audience watch some of there other documentary's.

Loose Change

"Loose change" is an investigative documentary investigating the events that took place on September 11th 2001. It has a very bias view on what happened on that day as all the stuff show in this documentary is evidence to show that the US goverment had something to do with what happened to the twin towers.

Themes

The main themes in this documentary are crime, terrorism and the events that took place on 9/11.

Narrative Material

The documentary starts with events that taken place before 9/11 and then goes through the events that had taken place and then purposes a conclusion at the end. However the documentary will jump back and fourth from before it then to after it then back so its narrative too an extent.

Camerawork

There isn't many footage shot, its mostly all archive footage. However there was some interviews shot using mid shots.

Mise en scene

There isn't an mise en scene in this documentary because its mostly all archive footage.

Sounds

Typing sound effects are used as events related to 9/11 come across the screen. Narration is used throughout the entire documentary to keep the audience informed.

Editing

Cuts are using to go from situation to another and fades are also used to give the audience time to absorb the information.

Archive Material

The whole documentary is made up of archive footage. Photos, news footage, footage of the planes hitting the towers, shots of the pentagon were just some of the archive footage used. By showing different recording of the same situations intends to force the audience to believe what the narrator is telling you.

Graphics

Graphics were just typical white font on a black background which were positioned in the middle of the screen to emphasise the importance of the text.

Grizzly Man

"Grizzly man" is an real life documentary about a man who goes out into the wilderness and lives with bears. The documentary itself is about the life of timothy treadwell, the man who lives the bears. Timmy was killed by a bear when he was living with them and the documentary is about his life and how he lived it. Most of the shots are handheld and shot by timmy but there are also interviews with people who new timmy.

Themes

The main themes in this are nature, death, animals and irony.

Narrative Structure

The documentary begins with the end timmy's life and then during the middle it goes back shows some footage of a few days before timmy died so its a non linear structure.

Camerawork

There are some handheld and static long shots with were shot by timmy or his girlfriend because he was documenting there journey and the experience. There were also arial shots from the helicopter showing the where they search for timmy and where they found him. Mid shots were used for the interviews as they talked about timmy.

Mise en scene

During the interview with the museum owner who knew timmy there were a stuffed bear in the background and also with interviews with his friends they were other visual stimulants for the audience to concentrate on.

Sound

Slow acoustic music was used whilst shots of timmy in the wild were shown to show how peaceful it was and how peaceful he was.

Editing

Some fading shots were used to show how timmy's life had faded away and simple cuts were also used.

Archive Material

Footage of him teaching school children was shown to show that he was happy and good guy. Also the footage he had filmed is archive footage because he did not film it for the purpose of that documentary.

Graphics

Simple white text on a black background was used.

The Devil made me do it

"The Devil made me do it" is an ivestigative/crime documentary as it explores why it happened and what happened. The documentary itself is about 3 girls who kill a nun in a small town in Italy and it explores the reasoning behind what made them do it. The strongest reason was they have been listening to a singer called marilyn manson, who's songs are mainly about dark and saintic things.

Themes

There are many themes that are used during this documentary...Death, Religion, Crime, Music, Youth and the effects of media are the main ones that help to explain the story in more detail.

Narrative Structure

It has a beginning, middle and end so the narrative structure is a linear. The beginning sets up the documentary by showing the conflict that was caused by the murdering of the nun and that the murderers were still not found. The middle shows the finding of the the murderers, 3 teenage girls but the motive still not clear. The end shows a clear motive and the girls are put into prison.

Camerawork

There were alot of handheld shots used during the Marilyn manson concerts to show the crowd out of control and also there were many shots of the towns scenery to show that it was a quiet town and this crime has disturbed alot of people. High angle and crane shots were used to show vulnerable people are and low angle were used to show the power of religion and Jesus.

Mise en scene

During the concerts, there are shots of men and woman wearing all black outfits showing them as stereotypical goths. During the reannactment there is the nun wearing a typical nun outfit and she is holding the cross around her neck whilst being murdered. Also when they are interviewing the experts they are smart dressed with a contrast of colours to show that they are experts.

Sound

Non diegetic are used during the murder reannactment with the narrator describing the murder and heartbeat sounds are used to make the scene more emotionally moving, intense and it let the audience know that something bad was about to happen. Also the sound of stones being thrown during the murder added more violence to the situation.

Editing

Cut aways were used to keep the audience concentrated and shot reverse shots were used during the concert to shot Manson on stage and then the audience and there reactions to him.

Archive Material

Footage from Mansons concerts were used to shot some of his controversial performances and some of his music videos which shows him in a negative view. Footage from the nuns funeral and some news channels that broadcasted the news were sued and also footage from the Columbine shootings which was also used against manson in a negative way.

Graphics

The opening title is just a silver text font on a black background with some of the letters in the title being religious symbols. Also white text was used to show the lyrics to some of Mansons songs at the concerts.

The men who jump of buildings

"The men who jump of building" is a real life documentary that follows the day to day life of Dan Witchalls and his friend/spotter Ian Richardson who are addicted to the worlds most deadliest adrenaline sport: Base Jumping.

Themes

The documentary expressed themes such as Danger and Adrenaline with the guys jumping from various structures in London. Also it has a family theme to it as both the men have families and it shows you how they deal with them base jumping.

Narrative Structure

The structure is a Linear structure because the documentary tells the story from beginning to end. It also has a voice over which gives more details about the story which lets you in on the story more.

Camerawork

The documentary has alot of handheld and helmet shots which are used when the men are breaking into a building and jumping off the buildings to give a first person view off what the experience is like. Talking head shots are used when interviewing the men and there families.

Mise en scene

Costume is the main mise en scene in this documentary. Jumping equipment + suits are used whilst the men are doing there jumping and there are also different outfits the guys wear to get into the buildings that they otherwise wouldn't be able to get in i.e building outfit and security guard.

Sound

Upbeat and intense music is played whilst the men are doing the jumps and nervy and slow music is being played whilst the men prepare for the jumps to mirror there emotions. Also there mysterious music being played whilst the men break into the buildings.

Editing

Fast cuts during the jumps cutting to different angles to show the intensity of what the guys are doing and how dangerous it actually is. Also night vision is used during the night jumps to show the audience what they can see and how dangerous it is.

Archive Material

Only archive material used is footage from some of the guys previous jumps.

Graphics

Simple graphics were used with a plain white title over the action before and after breaks. Also plain white text was used to show people's names and who they were.

9/11 Faker

The '9/11 Faker' is an investigative documentary about Tania Head. Tania Head was one of only 19 people at or above the point of impact to survive the 9/11 attacks. She became president of the World Trade centre survivors network and her vivid account of her magnificent escape and tragic loss convinced everyone. But Tania wasn't who she said she was. On the day of the 9/11 attacks she wasn't even in New York, she was thousands of miles away in Spain.

Themes The main theme of the documentary is Deception. Tania deceived politicians and people who were injured in the attacks to believe she was there to gain popularity. Possibly the theme of crime is involved but technically what Tania was not a crime as she did not make any money for herself. There is also the themes of death, family and terrorism.


Narrative Structure
The structure of the documentary is circular as it tells you what happens at the beginning and then it goes into more detail about it and why it might of happened.


Camerawork
Tracking shots were used in an empty office room whilst emails Tania had written were read out and focus shots were also used when interviewees and Tania were trying to recall what had happened. Slow zoom shots were used on to archive photos to give more time for the information to surface and talking head shots were used during interviews.


Mise en scene
The lighting in the interviews with former friends of Tania was dim with a bit of brightness to mirror there feelings about Tania. Interviews were set in dark and glum office rooms to mirror where some of the vents may have took place.


Sound
Fire engine sirens and police sirens were used when interviewees where recalling what had happened to them. Also police radios were used aswell to add more of the same effect. Slow music was playing whilst zoom shots on the photos and whilst interviewees were trying to recall what happened.


Editing
Quick cuts were used on the photos to add intensity and slow editing was used to sync the slow music with archive footage of the 9/11 attacks.


Archive Material
Photos, Audio and footage from news stations were used and also handheld shots of the towers going down were also used. Extracts from Tania Head emails were used to show what she was thinking and how she talking to fellow survivors.


Graphics
Plain white text was used for the main title which appeared at the beginning of the documentary and before and after breaks. Small white text was used to show people's name's and how they knew Tania.

Comparing and contrasting of the 9/11 Faker and The men who jump off buildings.

The stories of the two documentaries are completely different, The 9/11 Faker is about a woman is lied about being a survivor of the 9/11 attacks and went onto to be the head of the biggest 9/11 charity and did alot for the other survivors and the families of those who has past away. The men who jump of buildings is about two friends who by day live ordinary and normal lives and by night they jump off some of the biggest buildings in the UK.

The themes displayed in the men who jump off buildings are Danger and Adrenaline, with the 9/11 faker it is deception as she lied to alot of people. Themes that the documentaries share are Death with the two man risking their lives jumping off buildings and with the people who died in the 9/11 attacks. They also share the theme of family as in both programs the families of the two men and the families of the people who had died were affected during both programs.

Both of the narrative structures are linear which is good from both documentaries because it is easy for the audience to keep up with what is happening. The camera-work was quiet different with the documentaries because of their different styles. The men who jump off buildings had alot of talking head shots with the guys and their families whereas with the 9/11 faker their were alot of mid shot interviews with cut aways whilst the interviewees where talking so the audience have a better idea of what he/she is talking about.

Mise en scene is differently with the men who jump off buildings wearing costumes as they break into different buildings and their interviews having bright backgrounds whereas with the 9/11 faker the interviewee backgrounds are quiet glum and colourless relating to how the interviewee's are feeling. The sounds are completely different with most of the 9/11 faker sounds relating to the 9/11 attacks with police sirens and explosions and with the men who jump off buildings its upbeat and intense music whilst they are doing the jumps and nervy music building up to it. Similarities with the editing are the quick cuts, in the 9/11 faker they are used on the showing of the photos and with the men who jump off buildings it is used whilst they are doing the jumps switching from different angles to add more intensity. With the archive material, there is barely any used in the men who jump off buildings which is their previous jumps but with the 9/11 faker there is alot used with footage of the towers going down and e-mails from Tania head . The graphics used are similar with plain white text showing the title and the names of interviewee's.